Did you forget your appointment for the mourning robes? Hurry; if the earls get fitted first you’ll have to wear that ridiculous sable that you’ve outgrown. Do you want to look a country lout?”
“What nonsense—”
“Make notes, like I do, and you won’t forget. When will you learn!” He hustled me protesting from my chair. “I’m sorry, Sir Willem, may we see you after the fitting?”
“It’s going to be a frightful day, youngsire. The funeral wreaths, the cortege to organize—”
“But you’ll find a moment for us, won’t you? Roddy, hurry!” He propelled me to the antechamber. Elryc gaped at our quick retreat, but followed.
Dumbstruck, I let Rustin drag me clear of the Chamberlain’s wing before I dug in my heels. “Let go, you lunatic! Have demons taken you? I was about to ask—”
His hand shot across my mouth. I swatted it away. “How dare you!”
A courtier strode past, on his way to see the Chamberlain. Rustin leered. “Outside, then, if you want to see who’s the stronger!”
Elryc rammed him with a bony shoulder. “Leave Roddy alone!”
Rust shoved me into the wall, aimed a kick at Elryc, dashed for the door. Cursing like one possessed, I gave chase.
Rustin charged up the rampart steps two at a time, just ahead of my grasp. He veered for the high towers manned only in time of war. I flew after, Elryc bringing up the rear. At the watchtower Rust made his mistake; he dashed up the stairs that had no exit, and I knew I had him. Grimly, I climbed the three flights. At the landing I shoved aside an empty barrel, swung open the door to the open deck, girded myself for the battle to come.
I rushed out into sunlight. Panting, Rust leaned against the battlement. “We should be safe here.”
“Betrayer! False vassal!”
“What? Didn’t you realize I was—”
I circled. “Fight, you bastard son of a serf!”
He rolled his eyes. “For the love of ... you dimwit, I had to get you alone before you ruined everything. Elryc, make him understand.”
My brother stepped between us. “Listen.”
I raised my fist to strike him down.
Elryc’s eyes fastened on mine, unafraid. “Roddy, who’ll protect me, once you’re dead?”
My hand stayed.
“Hear him out. You can always fight after.” Elryc sat against the parapet, drew up his knees.
Rustin examined me with wonder. “How would you be King, with such a temper?”
“Have your say!”
“We went to Willem to get his key. Would he have given it?”
“How would I know? I had no chance to ask before—”
“Think, dunce!”
His scorn penetrated my fury. “Willem said Mother had her key, and allowed no one access without her presence. So?”
“He was helpful?”
“He told truth in what—oh!”
“What, Roddy?” Elryc.
“Willem didn’t admit he had a key. He was waiting to see if I knew.”
“Brilliant.” Rustin’s tone dripped irony.
I asked, “So why not tell him?”
“Whose man is he?”
“Mother’s. Now she’s gone—” My shoulders slumped. Wearily, I sat alongside Elryc. “If he denied he had the key, I’d be powerless to prove it.”
Elryc asked, “Why should he lie?”
“He need not. Say he admits he has a key. ‘But my lady the Queen had the other key, and without it, mine is useless.’ Then I must admit I have Mother’s.”
“And?” Rustin.
“And if he’s Uncle Mar’s man, they’ll have me, and both keys, and the Vessels.” My voice turned bitter. “Shall we put you on the throne, Rust? You have a head for these matters.”
He dropped to one knee. “You are my liege lord, and I will have no other King while you live.”
I had to look away. “Forgive me.”
“Never mind that. What now?”
We crouched together like three boys scheming to evade their tutor. Rust and Elryc waited for my lead.
I pulled the cast brass key from my shirt, examined it. “Should I give this to you, for safekeeping?”
Elryc asked, “Who’d search you, Roddy? The Chamberlain? Only Mother
“What nonsense—”
“Make notes, like I do, and you won’t forget. When will you learn!” He hustled me protesting from my chair. “I’m sorry, Sir Willem, may we see you after the fitting?”
“It’s going to be a frightful day, youngsire. The funeral wreaths, the cortege to organize—”
“But you’ll find a moment for us, won’t you? Roddy, hurry!” He propelled me to the antechamber. Elryc gaped at our quick retreat, but followed.
Dumbstruck, I let Rustin drag me clear of the Chamberlain’s wing before I dug in my heels. “Let go, you lunatic! Have demons taken you? I was about to ask—”
His hand shot across my mouth. I swatted it away. “How dare you!”
A courtier strode past, on his way to see the Chamberlain. Rustin leered. “Outside, then, if you want to see who’s the stronger!”
Elryc rammed him with a bony shoulder. “Leave Roddy alone!”
Rust shoved me into the wall, aimed a kick at Elryc, dashed for the door. Cursing like one possessed, I gave chase.
Rustin charged up the rampart steps two at a time, just ahead of my grasp. He veered for the high towers manned only in time of war. I flew after, Elryc bringing up the rear. At the watchtower Rust made his mistake; he dashed up the stairs that had no exit, and I knew I had him. Grimly, I climbed the three flights. At the landing I shoved aside an empty barrel, swung open the door to the open deck, girded myself for the battle to come.
I rushed out into sunlight. Panting, Rust leaned against the battlement. “We should be safe here.”
“Betrayer! False vassal!”
“What? Didn’t you realize I was—”
I circled. “Fight, you bastard son of a serf!”
He rolled his eyes. “For the love of ... you dimwit, I had to get you alone before you ruined everything. Elryc, make him understand.”
My brother stepped between us. “Listen.”
I raised my fist to strike him down.
Elryc’s eyes fastened on mine, unafraid. “Roddy, who’ll protect me, once you’re dead?”
My hand stayed.
“Hear him out. You can always fight after.” Elryc sat against the parapet, drew up his knees.
Rustin examined me with wonder. “How would you be King, with such a temper?”
“Have your say!”
“We went to Willem to get his key. Would he have given it?”
“How would I know? I had no chance to ask before—”
“Think, dunce!”
His scorn penetrated my fury. “Willem said Mother had her key, and allowed no one access without her presence. So?”
“He was helpful?”
“He told truth in what—oh!”
“What, Roddy?” Elryc.
“Willem didn’t admit he had a key. He was waiting to see if I knew.”
“Brilliant.” Rustin’s tone dripped irony.
I asked, “So why not tell him?”
“Whose man is he?”
“Mother’s. Now she’s gone—” My shoulders slumped. Wearily, I sat alongside Elryc. “If he denied he had the key, I’d be powerless to prove it.”
Elryc asked, “Why should he lie?”
“He need not. Say he admits he has a key. ‘But my lady the Queen had the other key, and without it, mine is useless.’ Then I must admit I have Mother’s.”
“And?” Rustin.
“And if he’s Uncle Mar’s man, they’ll have me, and both keys, and the Vessels.” My voice turned bitter. “Shall we put you on the throne, Rust? You have a head for these matters.”
He dropped to one knee. “You are my liege lord, and I will have no other King while you live.”
I had to look away. “Forgive me.”
“Never mind that. What now?”
We crouched together like three boys scheming to evade their tutor. Rust and Elryc waited for my lead.
I pulled the cast brass key from my shirt, examined it. “Should I give this to you, for safekeeping?”
Elryc asked, “Who’d search you, Roddy? The Chamberlain? Only Mother
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